Griswalds' Story, Part 4

In March,2008, Griswald started to lose his balance while running and he began to drag his left hind Leg. When he walked around the house, it sounded like a "shuffle" as if he was wearing a slipper on his rear left foot. Grizwald was having trouble eating because the same leg kept sliding out from under him. My Veterinarian examined him and referred me to an Orthopedic Veterinarian, Dr. Robin Holtsinger. After examining Griswald, Dr. Holtsinger referred me to Dr. James Cook, a Neurologist. Every  day Griswald lost more strength in both of his rear legs. Dr. Cook examined Griswald on March 4, 2008. The exam found that Griswalds' front legs were deformed and the  X-Rays revealed that Griswalds' spine was also deformed and that his rib cage had developed incorrectly.  Dr. Cook said that there wasn't anything he could do for Griswald. He advised me to confine Griswald to keep him from falling or twisting the wrong way. He said that his spine was so fragile that it could shatter and the result would be paralysis. Dr. Cook referred me to Dr. Roger Clemmons at the University of Florida  Veterinary Medical Center in Gainsville. Dr. Cook thought that Griswald might be a candidate for experimental surgery. Without intervention, Dr. Cook said that it was just a matter of time before Griswald would be incontinent and eventually paralyzed. He asked me if I was familiar with Florida's' Lemon Laws. He said that Griswalds' condition was hereditary and not caused by any type of injury. I went home, scheduled  the first available  appointment with Dr. Clemmons and then kept Griswald as quiet as possible while I waited for his appointment. By now, Grizwald had to be carried into the back yard because he couldn't get in and out of the house by himself. He was going to the bathroom on himself and needed help standing up to eat. I called Elizabeth Correa, the owner of  Gigi & Luca Pet Boutique and told her about Grizwalds'  latest health problems. I asked her if she'd bought any other dogs from the Lourance's and if those dogs were healthy. She said that she had bought several French Bulldogs from The Lourances  and that they were fine. She did tell me that she had adopted a dog from one of her customers a few months earlier and the dog had lost the use of it's back legs and had difficulties going to the bathroom, just like Griswald. She said  she treated him with Glucosomine Canine Liquid Health and Transfer Factor Canine Complete supplements that she bought online and now the dog was completely healthy.  She said that instead of keeping the appointment with Dr. Clemmons, if I wanted to try the supplements she would give them to me for free and  that  she was sure they would help Griswald. I asked her a few questions about the dog that she adopted and found  out that the dogs' condition was caused by an injury.  Elizabeth had sold the woman a puppy and eventually the woman had bred the dog. Elizabeth said that the woman didn't know that that breed of dog (I'm not sure what breed it was)was supposed to give birth via cesarean section. The puppy was injured/paralyzed while being born. This is a great example of why a good breeder screens it's customers. If you tell the breeder you intend to eventually breed your puppy they make sure the puppy you buy has healthy traits that should be passed on the the next generation. They also make sure that that the buyer is knowledgeable about the breeding/delivery  requirements of the breed. It's  irresponsible to sell a puppy to someone just because they have enough money to buy it.  I declined Elizabeths' offer and told her that I would call her when I got back from Gainsville. Griswalds'  appointment with Dr.  Clemmons  was scheduled for April 7, 2008.